Hinge comprising an arcuate spade member and an arcuate socket

Abstract

A hinge for an opening roof panel for a vehicle comprises a spade member and a socket. The spade member is secured to the one surface of the panel with an arcuate portion projecting in an arc centered on the desired hinge axis. The socket is secured to the frame and has an open-ended arcuate channel, centered on the desired hinge axis, at least one wall of the channel being formed by a wall member mounted on a resilient member which, when relaxed, causes the width of the part of the channel to be less than the thickness of the arcuate portion of the spade member. The hinge can also be used to secure a draught deflector to the front edge of the aperture in the vehicle roof when the panel has been completely removed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A hinge for mounting a panel in an opening comprising a spade member secured to one surface of the panel and a socket portion secured to an edge of the opening, the spade member having an arcuate portion projecting from said surface in an arc centred on a desired hinge axis, and the socket portion having an open-ended arcuate channel, centred on said desired hinge axis and at least one wall of said channel being formed by a wall member mounted on resilient means which, when relaxed, causes the width of the part of said channel to be less than the thickness of the arcuate portion of the spade member, the wall member being pivoted at an intermediate point on a rigid fulcrum spaced from a wall of the channel opposite to the wall member by a distance such that the spade member is a sliding fit therein, and the resilient means is arranged to pivot the wall member on said fulcrum so as to reduce the width of the inner end of the channel and increase the width of the outer end thereof. 
     
     
       2. A hinge according to claim 1, wherein the arc of the arcuate portion is centred on the edge of the panel. 
     
     
       3. A hinge according to claim 2, wherein the spade member is provided with resilient detent means adapted to engage with a complementary formation on the socket portion. 
     
     
       4. A hinge according to claim 3, wherein the detent means is mounted on an arcuate finger extending adjacent to one edge of the arcuate portion of the spade member and attached thereto at the end thereof further from the panel. 
     
     
       5. A hinge according to claim 1, wherein the spade member is provided with resilient detent means adapted to engage with a complementary formation on the socket portion. 
     
     
       6. A hinge according to claim 5, wherein the detent means is mounted on an arcuate finger extending adjacent to one edge of the arcuate portion of the spade member and attached thereto at the end thereof further from the panel.